Environment
An object of the club is to maintain a conscious awareness of the environment. Members are fortunate to be able to paddle in beautiful surroundings on the Swan, Canning and other rivers as well as on the Indian Ocean. Members participate in an annual Clean Up Australia Day event, both on the water and on land at a designated area each year.
Members are also conscious of the need to protect, either actively or passively, our surroundings where they can.
In addition members are conscious of the heritage and acknowledge the traditional custodians.
Dolphin Watch Project
The Dolphin Watch project launched in April 2009 and focuses on one of the Swan Canning Riverpark’s most iconic species; Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins.
The Dolphin Watch project is a partnership between the Parks and Wildlife Service River Guardians program, at Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA), and Murdoch and Curtin Universities, and was instigated to learn more about the community of bottlenose dolphins residing in the Swan and Canning rivers.
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Image Courtesy of Fin Book 8th Edition 2020
Wildcare Helpline
Parks and Wildlife Service
The Wildcare Helpline is a telephone referral service operated by volunteers on behalf of the department and is based at the Kensington headquarters.
The Wildcare Helpline provides a service for members of the public who find sick, injured or orphaned native wildlife and are seeking advice on how to find care for the animal.
If you've found injured wildlife, call the Wildcare Helpline on (08) 9474 9055.
WA Seabird Rescue (WASR)
WASR is a non profit organisation formed in 2003 to rescue and rehabilitate orphaned and injured seabirds and waterbirds in south-western Australia.
It is comprised of a network of home-based seabird rescuers and rehabilitators located in Perth, Albany, Mandurah and other south west locations.
If you find an injured sea or waterbird contact 6102 8464
Photos from the Canning River
About the Swan and Canning river system
The Swan and Canning rivers flow through the heart of metropolitan Perth, a city of more than 2 million people and the capital of Western Australia. The Swan River (Derbal Yerrigan) is 72 km long and the Canning River (Djarlgarra or Dyarlgarro) is 110 km. Together, these two rivers and their tributaries drain a catchment area of 2090 km2.
Fast facts
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The Swan and Avon rivers are actually the same river, sometimes called the Swan-Avon. The Swan River joins the Avon River at Walyunga National Park. The combined Swan-Avon River is 280 km long and flows from near Wickepin to the Indian Ocean at Fremantle. The Swan-Avon River drains a total catchment of approximately 126,000km2.
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The Canning River begins in Wandering and flows through Armadale to Applecross, where it joins the Swan.
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The combined shoreline of the Swan and Canning rivers is more than 300km long.
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There are 31 major sub-catchments in the Swan Canning Catchment. Drainage patterns from each of these are influenced by local climate and catchment characteristics such as land formation and soil type. Find out more about different areas of the river, including geology, topography, hydrology and vegetation types, on the landscape description page of the website below.
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Major Swan River tributaries include the Helena River, Wooroloo, Susannah, Ellen, Bennett, Henley and Jane brooks, Blackadder Creek, and Bayswater and South Belmont main drains. The Yilgarn, Mortlock and Lockhart rivers are the main tributaries to the Avon River. Tributaries entering the Canning River include the Southern River, Churchman, Munday, Bickley, Yule and Wungong brooks, Mills Street Main Drain and Bannister Creek.
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The deepest point of the Swan River is about 21m near Mosman Bay. This is a popular scuba diving spot.
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The Swan and Canning rivers become an estuary at Walyunga National Park in the Swan River and the Kent Street Weir in the Canning River, which is as far as estuarine effects in terms of tidal forces and marine salinity can be detected.
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The amount of water in the Swan Canning river system is between 130 gigalitres and 160 gigalitres of water depending on tides, flood levels and atmospheric pressure systems."
Canning River Eco Education Centre - CREEC
Photos from Canning River
The Canning River Eco Education Centre, known locally as CREEC, is ideally located on the banks of the Canning River, adjacent to the Kent Street Weir within the Canning River Regional Park in Perth.
Waterways are very important for our environment, our economy and our livelihoods. CREEC works collaboratively with local environmental groups, not for profit organisations, schools, government agencies and private business to help raise awareness and positive action for the health of our waterways and surrounding natural environment.
CREEC hosts events, displays, workshops and activities for children, adults, schools, community groups and the general public. All welcome.
For more, Please see:
Fence posts (convict fence) and boat hull in the Canning River
Convict Fence Photos: 720 ABC Perth: Emma Wynne and Boat Hull Photo: Gerry Ryder)
Those paddling on the Canning River may be intrigued by the fence posts and, in the right conditions, a boat hull, in the river. There is a long history to these which can be read at the following websites:
Convict Fence:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-01/convict-fence-in-perth-canning-river/5927132
Boat Hull Wreck:
Books about the Swan River
Sue Walker has identified two books about the Swan River and they are featured below. If you wish to read them, please refer to Sue.
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